Foam control, particularly in effluents and backwater, gives rise to special problems in many areas, particularly in cellulose, paper and textile works.
In these industries, uniform production flow, for example in respect of pump output and the addition of chemicals, makes it essential that appropriate amounts of defoaming agents should be added to the backwater.
Defoaming agents for defoaming effluents and backwater are known commercially which are based on various classes of chemical compounds, for example alcohols, ketones, esters, soaps or emulsifiable mixtures of neutral and mineral oils.
Since considerable quantities of defoaming agents have to be added for foam control in effluents and backwater, with corresponding increased expenditure, it has long been required by industry that more effective and/or cheaper defoaming agents should be made available. Until now, however, such attempts have not had a sufficiently satisfactory result.